Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-21

then, ana left without Il suspicion that Gen
Grant had taken it in any other way than it
was meant. ana do not think he did misun-
derstand me-
On my return from n short leave of absence
on the 10Th of July, Gen. Grant sent for me
to report to him, and then told me that he
could not relieve Gen. Butter. and that IA
had so severely criticised Gen. Meade, ne had
determined to relieve me from the command
OF the 18th corps and order me to New York
city, to II wait orders. Til next morning the
General gave some OF her rca Ons such "a an
article in the Tribune rejecting ON G neral
Hancock, which had nothing in the world to
do with, and two letters. which | had writ
ten before the campaign began, to two of
General Grants most devoted friends urrir,,
upon the III TO try and prevent him from maxi
ing the campaign he has Just mad. These
letter, sent 10 General Grant nearest rriauds
and intended for his eye, necessarily -prang
from an earnest desire TO serve the man ipon
whom the country had been depcndiap, ana
these warnings ought to have been my high
est Justification in hil opinion. ana indeed
would have been, tut that it has become nee
essarv to make out II case against me. All
these matters, moreover. were known to the
General before he asked that might be put
in command of the dcpartm mt of virginia
and North Carolina, and therefore they orm-
ed no excuse for relieving me from the c,m-
mand held.
also submit to you that if it had been
proven to him that was untitled for the com
mand then held, that that in no wise changed
the case with reference to Gen. Butler and
his competency and did not furnish a reason
why he shOnld not go whrr, the President
had ordered him at the request Of General
& ant and that as General Grant did, imme-
dIately after an interview with General b.,
suspend the orierand announce his intention
OF relieving me from duty there, other reas-
ons must be sought, different from any as
signed for this sudden change of views and
action. Since / have been in New York. |
have heard from two different sources, zone
being from General Grants headquartcrs}
ana one staff fiCer of general Oh intimate
| official relations with General b. that General
Butler went to General Grant and threatened
to expose his intoXicdtion. If the ORDER was
not revoked, ! also learned that General b.
had threat med to AXE public som thing
that would prevent the President. re election.
General Grant told me when | asked him
about Gene al But cr- threat of crushing me-,
/ that he had heard that General B. had made
some threat with reference to the G Icavo
| convent on, which he b said, he mad in his
| brccches pocket" but General G.. was not clear
IN expressing what the threat was. rc'erto
/ this simply because tcel convinced that the
change was II made for any of the reasons
+ Butler has threatened General Grant with mis-
, opposition 10 Mr.. l. ncuiu at the coming oi,c-
! ton, or has appealed to any political a.pira-
/ tons which General Grant may entertain,
do not know but one thirg is certain, was
/ not guilty of any acts of INSTRUMENTATION be-
tween my appointment and my suspension, for
/ | was absent all those days on leave from GEN
Grant. only hope that this long story Will
not tire you, and tina, it will convince you
hat a.. l..
! the confidence which was repOscd IN me.
Yours very truly,
WM. f. SMITH, Maj Gent.
p. ST. have not referred to the state of
things existing AZ headquarters when left,
ana to he facts that General Grant WIS hen
in the habit of getting lauor in surrcpti-
tlous manner, because it was not relevant to
my case but if you think at any time, the
matter may be of importance to t e country.
| will give 1t to you. Should you w sh TO write
to me. please address, care of ;. f. Lyon.
Jauncy Court 81 Wall street. y. Y
WM. +. ;.
Comment on this letter would better
come from some other quarter than this
and we shall have little to say about It,
1t will certainly be agreed that it was An
extraordinary letter to be addressed to a
United States senator, by general of the
of the army. to say nothing of its refer
ences to otner generals. Grant and Meade
are dead but Gen. Butler is living and can
say how correct Gen Smiths suggestions
with reference to himself are. 1t will Of
course take very distinct testimony to
make Gen. Grants friends, among whom
are comprised the entire American people,
believe that Gen. Grant put himself in
the power of either Gen. Butler or Gen.
smith.
1t Will strike many per- Is curious
that, if the commander of all the United
States armies wanted whiskey for hi, own
use he should be driven to any sur
reptitious" methods to obtain it. when his
subordinate generals appear to have been
able to supply themselves abuudantly.
To some, doubtless, the question Will &C
cur how far it becomes a host to disclose
and crilcise the drinking of a guest to
whom he supplies liquor Gen, Grant
was at this time experimenting the
movements of three or four armies, with
an ability not consistent with the belief
that he was in any besotted condition of
mind or body.
II is plain from all the facts and from
his own letters that Grant had a high Opin-
ion of Smith soldier. The history Of
Grants life shows no act of intentional in
Justice to any one under his command.
He probably never relieved a subordinate
for "purely personal reasons. OF course
there might be important reasons for re
d, lieVng Gen. Smith, without any i'm
puguing of his military capacity.
General Smith may have written other
letters of similar tenor to tins, which got
around to the generals criticised, and de
struyed the harmony and cooperation SO
e. important in an army. On the whole 1t
will be admitted that this letter now tor
the first time printed in full, all lrds re-
markable confirmation of the statement
of Gen. Grants reasons for relieving Gen.